My New Obsession

If you know me at all, you know that I’m slightly obsessed with peanut butter.  I’ve been know to eat spoonful's out of the jar.  I eat it on apples, on celery sticks, on carrot sticks…actually, I’m pretty sure I’d eat it on just about anything. 

When I first came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Picky Palate, I knew I was destined to make it.  It’s main ingredient is peanut butter, with the second ingredient being Oreos.  That’s right, I said it, Oreos.  Followed by the last ingredient, white chocolate chips.  I’m going to give you a moment to imagine the goodness…

Are you drooling yet?  Please.  I beg you.  Stop what you’re doing right now.  Make this peanut butter.  Then, grab a spoon and dig in, while you check out some of Jenny’s other amazing recipes on her blog.

Enjoy!

 

Cookies and Cream Peanut Butter, by Picky Palate

Ingredients

• 10 whole Oreo Cookies (I added a whole roll of Oreos, which I think is about 15…because really, why not?)
• 2 Cups creamy peanut butter (Per Jenny’s recommendation, I used a “natural” pb, since we’re adding so much sweetness)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Directions

1. Crush Oreos into small pieces and place into a large bowl.  Add 2 cups peanut butter.
2. Place white chips and 2 tablespoons peanut butter into a double boiler and stir until melted OR microwave in 30 second intervals.Add to bowl of Oreos and peanut butter. 
3. Stir just a little so you have a bit of swirls of chocolate throughout.  Place peanut butter into a jar!

Ice Cream Pie

Yum, yum, yum!  This is the new favorite dessert in our house.  I’ve made it twice in the last 3 weeks.  I came across the idea for this dessert on the Eat Better America website and thought that it’d be perfect for summer! 

I made it for the first time when my family came up to visit and it was so good, that Jeremy requested it again for when Jayla came over last week.  Speaking of Jeremy, I have a cute story about this recipe.  When I first told him that I was going to make an ice cream pie for dessert, Jeremy gave me a confused look and said, “But won’t the ice cream melt in the oven?”  Ah ha ha, cute, huh?  I explained that I wouldn’t actually be baking it  and he still seemed skeptical, but I think I convinced him that it’s good.

So, my inspiration for this ice cream pie was from this Healthified Turtle Ice Cream Cake.  I actually had all the intentions of following that recipe, but then I thought, “Well, there is premade Oreo crust at the store, so why should I make my own?”  Then, I asked Jeremy if he wanted a different kind of ice cream than vanilla and he wanted strawberry.  Personally, I was thinking Cookies ‘n Cream or Coffee would be excellent, but he’s not a fan of those.  Really, this recipe is more of a method.  Use whatever kind of ice cream you like.  Use a graham cracker crust instead of Oreo.  Add as much hot fudge as you want.  Or substitute butterscotch topping.  Use peanuts instead of pecans.  Or whatever.  You get the idea.

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients.

Eat me!

Sara’s Ice Cream Pie

• 1 store bought Oreo cookie pie crust
• 2 - 3 cups reduced fat chocolate ice cream, slightly softened
• 2- 3 cups reduced fat strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
• 1/2 cup Sugar free hot fudge topping
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Sugar-free caramel topping

1. Drop chocolate ice cream by small spoonfuls over crust; carefully spread until smooth. Freeze 1 hour or until firm.
2. Spoon and carefully spread fudge topping over ice cream. Sprinkle with pecans; press lightly. Freeze 1 hour or until firm.
3. Drop strawberry ice cream by small spoonfuls over pecan layer; carefully spread until smooth. Cover; freeze at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. To serve, let stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes to soften. Cut into 8- 12 wedges. Place each wedge on individual dessert plate; drizzle each with caramel topping and additional nuts, if desired.

Oreo and Snickers Cheesecake Bars

Every fall at my work (a University), we have an Open House for prospective students and their families.  As part of the days events, we provide a continental breakfast that includes bagels and cream cheese.  For some reason, we always end up with a massive amount of left over cream cheese!  And when I mean massive, I’m taking like a 100 of the little single servings of cream cheese.  Last year, I volunteered to take some because 1) I knew I could find something to make with it, 2) I don’t really buy cream cheese a lot and 3) I could bake something yummy to take into the office!  So this year I did the same and was sent home with a grocery bag full of little cream cheeses.  And what did I make, you ask?

Oreo and Snickers Cheesecake Bars!  Wow-o-wow, these were awesome!  I got the recipe from the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website.  They have a lot of great recipes on this site and they have a cool feature called the Cheesecake Customizer.  In playing with the customizer, I thought to myself, “Self, what would be delicious in cheesecake?  What are some of your favorite treats?”  And my answers were Oreos and Snickers.  Yum-my!  So, I plugged those treats into the customizer, got the recipe and started opening my 32 little cream cheese servings!  Talk about a pain in the butt!  It was worth it though because the bars turned out deliciously and of course, they were gone in an instant at work.  I did manage to grab a piece before it disappeared and I’m glad I did because it was heavenly!

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients.

My piece!

Sara’s Oreo and Snickers Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups cookie crumbs, OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup sugar

Cheesecake Batter:

• 4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

Batter Flavorings:

• 1 Tbsp vanilla

Mix-In's and Toppings:

• 1 cup mixed into batter and 1/2 cup sprinkled on top Oreo (cookie), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup mixed into batter and 1/2 cup sprinkled on top Snickers (candy), coarsely chopped

Directions

CRUST: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix Crust ingredients; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 min.

BATTER: Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Stir in Mix-Ins. Pour over crust.

TOPPINGS: Add Toppings.

BAKING: Bake 40 min or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.